RESPECT DUE TO MAYOR.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20828, 11 April 1933, Page 9

RESPECT DUE TO MAYOR.

COUNCILLOR REBUKED. INCIDENT AT COUNCIL MEETING. That the respect due to the Mayor at a City Council meeting was identical with the respect due to the city was maintained by the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) when calling Cr. A. E. Armstrong to order in a stormy interlude at the meeting of the Christchurch City Council last evening. The incident occurred in discussion of the withdrawal of the permit granting the Socialist party the right to hold meetings in Cathedral square. "When the Mayor speaks, the city of Christchurch speaks for the time being, and not the individual who happens to be Mayor," said Mr Sullivan. "It is your duty to respect your city through the Mayor." Cr. Armstrong said he wished to ask the chairman of the By-laws Committee (Cr. J. McCombs) to give his reasons for taking away the permit given the Socialist party to hold meetings in Cathedral square. He previously voted in favour of giving that permit. The Original Permit. "There are altogether about six political parties in Christchurch. (Voices: More than that!)—and '.hey are aii running candidates at the elections," said Cr. McCombs. "If they fill came into the Square there would be pandemonium. They are all equally entitled to a hearing. Members of the Socialist parly came to the Mayor in 1931 stating that they were not a political party in that they were not putting up candidates for election, but that they desired to preach Socialism in the Square, just as the Salvation Army preached religion. The party was then led by two well-known Socialists, and the permit was granted. Now there is a new party, not the same group. Cr. Armstrong: Weren't you a Socialist? Cr. McCombs: Yes, and I am a good Socialist —too. good a Socialist to belong to a party which on the motion of a Communist kicks out a good Socialist, like Mr J. A. McCullough. Cr. Armstrong: Your attitude to wages shows what sort of a Socialist you are. Cr. McCombs: There is no denial of free speech in taking away this permit: merely the withdrawal of a special privilege granted to no other political party. The Socialists are entitled to speak in the places where the other parties have the same right. It is extraordinary for Communist-dominated Socialists to put up a plea for a monopoly. They have had that privilege for 18 months. Called to Order. Cr. Armstrong: That is to say the Labour party has had it. The Mayor then rose to call Cf. Armstrong to order, and a noisy altercation followed, in which Cr. Armstrong made further allegations about the Labour party. "You must respect the chair," said Mr Sullivan. "If you do not respect the chair I am entitled to ask you to leave the chamber." Mr Sullivan then made his statement concerning the position of the Mayor, adding that when Cr. Armstrong asked a question as he had done, he should be prepared to listen to the reply. Continuing his explanation, Cr. McCombs said the decision of the committee to withdraw the permit had been unanimous. It had originally been granted on his casting vote. "This so-called Socialist party cannot ask for a special privilege and a monopoly," he said in conclusion.